massive remodeling! need help

Hi all,

I'm in the process of a major overhaul of my house in Virginia. My wife and I decided recently to stay in the same house provided we do some additions and just generally improve everything. Bear with me as I ask people's opinions on what looks and is best, and maybe a few how-to questions here and there. I've never done this type of stuff before (except for a little bit of carpentry when I was in gradeschool in the UK).